“The majority of what I do is locating and interviewing witnesses or alleged victims. I also go out and photograph, sketch or diagram alleged crime scenes. Occasionally, I do surveillance work. And then I testify in court when needed.”

We know the Committee for Public Counsel Services provides legal representation for indigent people accused of committing crimes. What does your job as an investigator for the agency entail?

“The majority of what I do is locating and interviewing witnesses or alleged victims. I also go out and photograph, sketch or diagram alleged crime scenes. Occasionally, I do surveillance work. And then I testify in court when needed.”

Did you have any prior training or experience in the investigative field before taking this job?

“I did. I had been a private investigator for six years before coming here. I also have a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Westfield State and a master's degree in criminology from UMass Lowell. I've received a lot of training since being on the job. I'm currently a member of the National Defenders Investigators Association and have attended conferences in Arizona and Georgia. I attend training through MCLE, which is Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, as well as various trainings put on by this organization.”

Do you employ modern technology in your work, doing online research to track people down, checking people's Facebook postings, that sort of thing?

“Yes, all of the above. We use a lot of social media sites due to the fact that they are very informative. We spend a lot of time searching for current addresses. We use a lot of different programs, from state databases to town databases, in an effort to obtain more information on an individual or a property. I get a case and Google-search a name. You never know what's going to pop up.”

Your work undoubtedly takes you into high-crime areas from time to time. Have you ever felt threatened or that your safety was in jeopardy?

“Honestly, no. I find that if you are nice to people and treat them with respect, you will get that in return.”

Are people generally willing to talk to you?

“For the most part, yes. Rarely do I find someone who isn't willing to speak to me. Most people just want their story to be heard. In the seven years I've been here, only a very small number of people refused to speak with me.”

Have you ever been called upon to testify in a case and if so, under what circumstances?

“I have probably testified about a dozen times, mostly in Worcester Superior Court. A lot of times, we're prepared to testify, but they don't need us. Typically, I would be testifying about photographs and witness statements I have taken. If a witness testifies at trial to something other than what they told me, I would be called as an impeachment witness.”

How do you conduct your interviews? Do you use a tape recorder?

“Most of the time when conducting interviews I take contemporaneous notes while the person is talking. I never use a tape recorder because I feel that people will be less likely to want to talk to me if they know they're being recorded.”

Are there particular cases you have worked on that stand out in your mind for one reason or another?

“Yes, of course. I think honestly some of the murder cases that I have worked on are the most memorable and that's probably because they are the most labor-intensive cases. One case in particular, I interviewed over 70 witnesses all over the country and had to convince some of them to come testify in Massachusetts.”

What do you like most about your job?

“I think I like the fact that it's something different every day. I meet people from all walks of life and I enjoy helping our clients and their families. I find it rewarding.”

What's your least favorite thing about the job?

“I guess all the driving. We cover all of Worcester County, which encompasses a big chunk of land, and there's a lot of driving.”

Compiled by reporter Gary Murray

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